Toby's big sister Clemmie loves her special school, and his young brother Benjamin loves his nursery. Why, then, is Toby so upset about going to his school? For a start, 'It stinks of pigeon poop, ogre armpits, and sadness. And I hate it.' Fair enough, one would think, but why does Toby feel so strongly about what appears to be an ordinary school? He doesn't have any friends there, nor does he know where anything is, and they seem reasons enough for most of us. Toby has an active imagination, though, and it is this that gets him through. First he meets an alien called Jake, who shows him around; then there's Lilly who is a pirate, and they 'sail the seven seas' and meet some mermaids. No friends, though. Bernard is an expert on dinosaurs, and they play dinosaurs together, but when mum arrives to take him home, he still claims not to have made any friends. Who are all these people waving goodbye to him then? she asks. Toby realises he does have friends and that both of his problems with his new school have been solved. Toby, Clemmie and Benjamin have figured in other of Rebecca Elliott's wonderful books about her own family, and it's a joy to see them back again. Toby is usually central to the action, and his imaginative mind is a great asset, although sometimes leading him astray! Elliott's art work is stunningly good and portrays in picture as well as text just how Toby is feeling. First rate!